A Dutch-Turkish journalist has been jailed for life in Turkey for leading a left-wing group which Turkey says is a terrorist organisation.

Füsun Erdogan has been jailed for giving leadership to the MLKP, according to Turkish news websites quoted by news agency ANP.

She is appealing against the ruling and plans to take the issue to the European Court of Human Rights, ANP said.

Füsun Erdogan has been in jail since 2006. According to international journalists organisations, the evidence against her is thin and she is being pursued in the courts because of her journalistic work.

Dutch foreign minister Frans Timmermans told MPs on Monday the Netherlands can do little to help Erdogan because she has both Turkish and Dutch passports.

‘The Netherlands does not get involved in Turkish legal matters,’ he is quoted as saying.